1729 - Textiles: A Retrospective

Course Description

Persian, Textile, 1600s. Bequest of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich. Courtesy of the RISD Museum.

Humans have been creating fabrics since the dawn of civilization. In this course, we consider the role of textiles, from luxurious velvet brocades to cotton matelasses, to the history of interior design and the decorative arts. With an emphasis on the burgeoning luxury trades catering to the royal courts of Europe to the importation of Indian print cottons, which revolutionized design, we take a journey from silk to linen while learning about the construction, style and the economy of textiles for use on furniture, as ornament and on windows and walls from the Renaissance to the present day.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Animation : Electives
• Graphic Design : Electives
• Interactive Design : Electives
• Jewelry Making + Design : Electives
• Natural Science Illustration : Electives
• Painting Studies : Electives
• Photography : Electives
• Product Development + Manufacturing : Electives